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Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has warned his players of the challenges that come with Tuesday's Champions League visit to Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion. The former Italy and Napoli manager admitted that the visitors will be at an obvious disadvantage due to the adverse weather and pitch conditions, while also reassuring that his team will improve with time.

Juve face daunting trip to Bodo/Glimt

Juventus will visit Norwegian heavyweights and giant killers Bodo/Glimt on matchday five of the Champions League on Tuesday. It will be an extremely tricky challenge for the Bianconeri, given the adverse weather and pitch conditions on offer at the Aspmyra Stadion. 

Located north of the Arctic Circle, the Aspmyra Stadion is among the northernmost footballing venues in the world, located at 67 degrees latitude. Situated on the west coast of Norway, it is a hotspot for tourists and locals to experience the enchanting Northern Lights (or aurora borealis). Weather forecasts for Tuesday indicate temperatures sitting at an icy 1°C, along with potential snowfall. 

However, it's not just the unforgiving weather conditions visiting teams have to deal with. Aspmyra Stadion uses an artificial pitch, a surface that often challenges visiting teams. The likes of Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou have often called Bodo out for their use of the "plastic" field. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpalletti aware of the task at hand

Speaking to at the pre-match press conference on Monday, Juve boss Spalletti acknowledged the challenge of playing at the Aspmyra Stadion and conceded that the hosts will head into the clash with an obvious advantage.

"Not the ideal climate for a football match? It's a very tough match. We were joking with the players and I told them it's tougher than they expected," said the ex-Napoli boss. "I've had to deal with these temperatures on these pitches, and it's a different experience, breathing in this cold air. Sometimes you can't even keep your eyes open. But there's always the thrill of the challenge."

Spalletti also addressed the team's recent string of unconvincing displays, reassuring that the best is yet to come.

"I think it's premature to completely overturn everything right now. We haven't done well, but we haven't done badly either," he explained. "We're in that middle ground where, with some new things, we can raise the bar. We have a bit of everything here, but we need to recognise them and deploy them at the right times.

"These guys are perfect; they're eager to participate and show off their skills. Tomorrow I'll change something, otherwise we risk losing confidence, and then we need to analyse things properly.

"In the camp, there's no longer the rigidity of roles that seems like disorder but is actually freedom. In that freedom, you have to find balance. This constant rotation of roles and the search for a position is an advantage."

'Pitch and climate a disadvantage' for Juve, admits Spalletti

Spalletti went on to highlight the biting cold and artificial turf at Bodo, a far cry from the traditional grass pitches found in Europe’s elite leagues. 

"Did you mention the weather? Let's address one thing first, because it seems like we've had a bit of a disaster," he added. "But the players haven't performed as badly as people pretend. I was the first to say we needed to do more, and we need to get them out there, we need to use the horses we have and all our qualities. I've seen the desire in this team, and you either face responsibility or you lose. 

"The pitch and the climate are a disadvantage, because I've been fortunate enough to work abroad, and the air you breathe is different. It's all a matter of habit, and it's different from ours. Our desire to perform must make up for this gap. They're also good at selecting players, and not just for the pitch and the cold; in an international comparison, they have a significant value.

"[Playing at the Aspmyra Stadion] is a real difficulty, due to habits and rebounds. We'll certainly pay something for this, but we'll face it. We all had fears, then after facing them we adapted, but this can give us some satisfaction. The pitch bothers us, but we want to perform our best."

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AFPSpalletti's Juventus reign not off to an ideal start

After beginning his spell with the Old Lady with a 2-1 win over Cremonese, Spalletti's side have slumped to three straight draws. Their European campaign stands at risk of collapsing if they fail to come away with maximum points from Norway on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Juve sit in seventh position in Serie A, seven points off the pace. However, Spalletti has assured that his troops will fight for the Scudetto until the end.

India added 327 runs for the loss of just three wickets on the third day against West Indies in Ahmedabad

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

India’s batting riches put them in consummate control of the first Test of their home season, with KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel scoring important centuries. It was Rahul’s first at home since 2016 and it was Jurel’s first one ever. They now have a lead of 286, which is large enough to potentially shrink this down from a five-day game.Ravindra Jadeja had an equal part to play on a day where India made 327 runs for just three wickets. There was a point when the pitch started crumbling and West Indies’ spinners were able to get the ball to turn sharply out of the rough. India collectively decided to attack them, hoping to throw them off the lengths where they could access the worn out parts of the pitch. Jadeja did this the best. His idea was to charge at the bowler, and every time he did, he was looking to hit a boundary. Seven of the 11 he ended up with were the result of this ruthless approach, including a six that helped him breeze through the nervous nineties.Jomel Warrican, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre, in helpful conditions, were left nursing combined figures of 4 for 283 from 82 overs. Jadeja, meanwhile, helped India reprise a feature of their England tour earlier this year, becoming the third centurion of the innings. The last time that happened at home was 2018, during West Indies’ last visit to the country. Jadeja connected that trio to this trio.Related

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West Indies could have helped themselves had they begun their day’s work with a bit more hope. Instead the captain Chase welcomed the two overnight batters with a sparsely populated slip cordon. The focus, it seemed, was run-saving instead of wicket-taking. Jayden Seales, who has a lovely outswinger, snagged Rahul’s edge in the very first over of play but regulation first slip was missing. He had been pushed wide and so this ball just skipped to the boundary.Rahul survived on 57 and went on to score 100. He celebrated it by raising his bat in one hand and sticking two fingers of the other in his mouth, a little tribute for his new-born daughter.1:41

Chopra: WI should’ve taken the new ball earlier

The next man to three-figures was Jurel. It is clear from the way he bats that he is set up to be consistent. He has good judgment of what to play and what to leave. He’s comfortable in attack and defence. Some of his back foot shots against pace were chef’s kiss, so that, along with the way he played out the second new ball, suggests he should be able to adapt to overseas conditions. Jurel has a high floor. Rishabh Pant beats him with a high ceiling. Maybe India might find a way for both players to be part of the XI; trust Jurel to be a specialist batter. His century celebration was a tribute to his father, who was with the Indian army.West Indies had set themselves up for damage control but in doing so really early, they let India dictate terms. Seales bowled manfully, his pace up around the 140kph mark even at the back end of a very hot day that forced him off the field for a little bit for what looked like cramps.Warrican was good too, slowing the ball down and inviting India to attack him if they could. It was strange that he only bowled two overs before lunch, but did make up for that by bowling 12 back-to-back after the break and picked up Rahul’s wicket. Jadeja negated the effect he could have on the game. He made 86 runs against spin, including 41 off 15 when he chose to come down the track.Shubman Gill’s efforts were cut short on 50 in the middle of that tricky period where India decided to attack spin. He brought out a reverse sweep against Chase and got caught at slip.The second day in Ahmedabad meandered to a close with Pierre enjoying a high that he had chased all his life. Having been part of the domestic system from the age-group level, after making his first-class debut 10 years ago, he finally took a Test wicket at the age of 34 and his smile lit up the place.

Whether his demotion to No. 7 was down to his own poor form, or an opponent-specific tactic, it has raised more questions than answers

Karthik Krishnaswamy22-Apr-20255:51

Knight on Pant batting at No. 7: It is ‘bizarre’

What were Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) thinking, on Tuesday night against Delhi Capitals (DC), when they pushed Rishabh Pant so far down the order that he batted outside the top six for the first time in the IPL since his debut season in 2016? What was Pant’s role in making this decision, as LSG’s captain?In a short, post-match interview with the broadcaster after LSG had lost the IPL 2025 match by eight wickets in Lucknow, Pant’s explanation was a terse one: “[The] idea was to capitalise. We sent [Abdul] Samad
to capitalise on a wicket like that, but after that [David] Miller came in, and we just really got stuck in the wicket, but eventually these are the things we’ve got to figure out and try to find our best combination going forward.”That statement calls for a little bit of unpacking. First, it was Samad who walked in at No. 4, Pant’s usual position, when LSG lost their second wicket in the 12th over. Perhaps what Pant meant by “capitalise” was that LSG were looking for quick runs, and felt that Samad – who had scored 20 off 11 balls and an unbeaten 30 off 10 in LSG’s last two games – could provide them some of those at that stage.Related

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• Mukesh four-for sets up comfortable win as DC close the gap up top

• Teams face up to home truths in first half of IPL 2025

There were signs already that this was an old-ball pitch, with the extent of reverse swing and grip for slower balls increasing as LSG’s innings progressed. With that in mind, LSG may have been looking to send Samad in when there was still a good chance of the ball coming on to the bat.The move didn’t come off on the day, with Samad caught and bowled by Mukesh Kumar for two off eight balls. Pant didn’t come out at the fall of Samad’s wicket either, or at the fall of the next wicket later in the same over, the 14th of LSG’s innings, when Mukesh bowled Mitchell Marsh with a yorker.David Miller walked in at No. 5, and he was followed to the crease by Ayush Badoni, who came off the substitutes’ bench for the second match running. It was also the second match in a row where LSG had used a batter as their Impact Player even though they batted first. Typically, teams name a batting-heavy starting XI if they bat first and replace one of their batters with a bowler.Badoni had come off the bench to score a crucial 34-ball 50 in LSG’s previous game against Rajasthan Royals (RR). In that game, he batted at No. 5 when LSG lost their third wicket – of Pant – in their eighth over. LSG may have felt then that they needed someone to come in and steady their innings and give their end-overs hitters more favourable entry points.In this match, Badoni came in with just six overs remaining. As it happened, he made a strong contribution, his 21-ball 36 giving LSG a bit of impetus at the death even as Miller – who made an unbeaten 14 off 15 balls – struggled at the other end.With the Miller-Badoni partnership stretching into the final over, Pant finally came to the crease with just two balls remaining. He tried to manufacture boundaries off both balls, but didn’t put bat to ball against either, with Mukesh bowling him as he attempted a reverse-scoop off the final ball.Pant has endured a difficult IPL 2025, and came into Tuesday’s game having scored just 106 runs in 108 balls across seven innings. This, perhaps, may have led him to demote himself – if he took the decision – behind batters in better form.His long-time Test-match team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara, however, was having none of it. “I genuinely don’t know what the thought process was,” he said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “There’s no doubt he should be batting up the order. He’s trying to do what MS Dhoni does, but he’s nowhere near [Dhoni’s age].5:50

‘An under-pressure captain affects the whole team’

“I still feel he’s someone who should be batting in the middle overs, between [overs] six and 15. He’s not a finisher, and he shouldn’t be doing the job of a finisher.”Pujara’s co-panelist Nick Knight, the former England opener, felt he could accept the reasons for the move, but didn’t like the optics.”I’ve not really a problem with Badoni batting at four-five,” Knight said. “I see some rationale in that, because I think he’s playing well, and I think he’s more likely to score runs than Rishabh Pant. There’s the problem. Samad you could probably say the same, he’s more likely to score runs than Rishabh Pant. David Miller, you could say the same.”When you look at the decision-making, perhaps in rationale it makes some sense. Where I don’t like it at all is it just doesn’t look very good. There is your captain, sliding, going backwards in the batting order when you really need him to step up. He’s the one that’s going to be standing up and talking in front of your team, he’s the one who’s leading you out there. He’s your leader, and it just doesn’t look great when the leader is going the other way.”From that perspective that’s my problem, because I would agree – Badoni is probably more likely to score runs, etc etc. It doesn’t look right.”A second-order glance at Pant’s IPL 2025 numbers throws up a more specific reason for his demotion: a tactical retreat against spin. Coming into Tuesday’s game, he had struggled against both styles of bowling, but while he had managed a strike rate of 117.46 against pace, he had gone at just 71.11 against spin.2:29

Why is Rishabh Pant more successful in Tests than T20s?

This pattern had held true even during his one sizeable innings of the season, a 49-ball 63 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In that innings, he had scored 18 off 23 balls against the spinners and 45 off 26 against the faster bowlers. The bulk of the damage he had done against the quicks had come late in LSG’s innings. Batting on 40 off 39 at the start of the 18th over, Pant had hit three sixes in his next ten balls, off the pace of Matheesha Pathirana and Khaleel Ahmed.And so, like a number of batters have done before him in the IPL – including fellow keeper-batters Dinesh Karthik and Dhoni – Pant on Tuesday may have been looking to hold himself back with match-ups in mind, with DC still having two overs of Kuldeep Yadav left when Badoni joined Miller. That Pant ended up getting to face just two balls wasn’t in his control; the partnership between Miller and Badoni ended up consuming 34 balls.For all that, though, there’s one major difference between the cases of Karthik or Dhoni for a delayed entry point and that of Pant. Karthik and Dhoni have been finishers for most of their T20 careers, and for large parts of those careers were deemed to be pace-hitting specialists. Pant has mostly batted through the middle overs, and for much of his career has been a brilliant, unconventional hitter of spin.Of late, though, his output against spin has dwindled. Pant had strike rates of 147 or more against that style of bowling in each of his first four IPL seasons. Since 2020, he has gone at sub-120 strike rates in four out of five seasons, including the current one.Pant is just 27, though, and may yet have time on his side to reverse this downturn against spin; Karthik and Dhoni were in their mid-to-late 30s by the time they became pigeonholed as pace-hitters. It’s unlikely Pant sees himself in the finisher’s role in the long term anyway, given the damage his style of play – involving manipulation of fields and hitting the ball in unusual areas – can cause through the middle overs.A top-order role, in fact, is perhaps better suited to Pant’s strengths if he’s looking to avoid a confrontation with spin, or to face it on slightly easier terms, with powerplay field restrictions on his side. But with LSG boasting one of the most in-form opening partnerships of IPL 2025 in Marsh and Aiden Markram, and with their No. 3 Nicholas Pooran in exceptional form and sitting second on the Orange Cap standings, there perhaps isn’t a top-order slot for Pant to occupy without causing what he and the team management may feel is unnecessary disruption.Rishabh Pant came in at No. 7, and was bowled second ball•Associated PressSo the move down to a finisher’s role may be an entirely temporary one tailored to the circumstances LSG and Pant are currently in. It may even just be opponent-specific. In this match against DC, Pant may have felt he was likelier to contribute meaningfully if he avoided a showdown with one of the tournament’s best spinners in Kuldeep. It’s instructive that the one other time he demoted himself in this manner – in LSG’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 8, when he eventually didn’t bat at all – was against another of the IPL’s better spin-bowling teams.There may have been enough reasons, then, for Pant to have held himself back as he did on Tuesday, but one puzzling question still remains: why use Badoni as Impact sub when he could have been part of the starting XI, and allowed LSG to bring in a bowler later in the game? This question has carried a particular sense of urgency in LSG’s last two games, when their bench has included the exciting, 150kph-breaching Mayank Yadav, who is nearing a highly anticipated return from back and toe injuries that have kept him out of action since October 2024.The answer, perhaps, is that LSG don’t feel Mayank is as yet fit to bowl his full four-over quota, and that they have started their last two games with a five-bowler XI with the idea of potentially bringing Mayank on for a one- or two-over burst if they got through the first half of their match without needing to bolster their batting. That, however, didn’t happen either against RR or DC.

ATLANTA — Sometime around the late innings Tuesday night, the home bullpen door at Truist Field will swing open and out will come running a baseball fairy tale waiting to be told. You will know it is Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers by his Ichabod Crane figure, his aw-shucks, Missouri-bred Tom Sawyer smile and his holy spit fastball. Midsummer evening in Georgia suddenly will feel hotter, batters will shake their heads in wonder and jaws will drop.

Misiorowski is that special. He is 23 years old and looks even younger. He is as thin as a paper clip and aglow with so much joy and so wide a grin he can’t stop using the word “cool.”

Just five starts under the belt around his slim waist, he also is at the center of the biggest and most wrong-headed controversy at this All-Star Game. The gripe, largely fostered by the Philadelphia Phillies and assorted media, was that Misiorowski did not “deserve” his selection. Never mind that pitchers left and right couldn’t be bothered to pitch in the All-Star Game and that the honor meant so much to Misiorowski that he cried when he was told of his selection.

And then there is this: Misiorowski throws the meanest fastball in baseball, a 99.3 mph rocket with an absurd, gravity-defying 2,599 rpm spin, a wickedly low release point and so much extension he lets go of the ball a foot closer to home plate than the average pitcher. And he’s been historically great in his brief but captivating time on the MLB stage.

Misiorowski is exactly what the All-Star Game is: a showcase of the best talent in baseball, not a WAR calculating exercise. He is a sensation (without the mound-scaping and talking-to-the-ball soliloquies) in the manner of Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, who the All-Star Game with just 11 starts. With the way the world moves, five starts in 2025 is darn close to the exposure of 11 starts in 1976.

If you don’t want Misiorowski, you don’t want entertainment. And you don’t want baseball fairy tales.

Just two years ago on this date Misiorowski was pitching in front of 4,175 people in Peoria for the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Five years ago, after COVID wiped out his senior season at Grain Valley High and no team drafted the skinny righthander, he decided he’d rather pitch for the Crowder College Roughriders, a community college in Missouri with an enrollment of 3,800, than accept an offer from Oklahoma State.

“Well, I just think that’s what I needed,” he explains. “I think I needed a small town to just get my feet wet and get acclimated to collegiate ball.”

I asked him to give me the scouting report on his 18-year-old self. “I was really, really skinny. Really lanky.”

What does that mean, weight-wise? “Like 170, 165.”

Same height? Six-feet-seven? “Yeah. Pretty close.”

He continues with the scouting report: “He’s going to throw a lot of fastballs. He doesn’t always know where it’s going to go. He knows, be ready to get hit. So, it’s, yeah, I think that’s the biggest threat: it’s just, ‘Don't get hit.’”

He made 15 starts for Crowder in 2022, then decided to transfer to LSU, where he would have joined Paul Skenes. But the Brewers drafted him in the second round—after 62 players were picked—and gave him $2.3 million, mid-first round money, to sign. Misiorowski needed to gain weight (he has put on about 25 to 30 pounds) and iron out his mechanics. He was a strikeout machine in the minors (12.3 strikeouts per nine) but lacked command (5.4 walks per nine). But counterintuitively, he commands the baseball much better in the big leagues with four pitches than he did in the minors. He has an old school explanation for that.

“Adrenaline,” he says. “I think that's the biggest thing. You know, I think it was just one of those things that happens when you settle down, like you learn to be where your feet are and have fun.”

The home side’s top order laid a solid foundation during the night session of the pink-ball game

AAP23-Nov-2025Three wickets apiece from Henry Thornton and Ben Manenti gave South Australia the advantage against Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield match.After the opening day of the pink-ball fixture was washed out, SA’s Thornton and Manenti both claimed three wickets as WA struggled to 188 all out on Sunday.South Australia reached 100 for 1 at stumps at Adelaide Oval, with Henry Hunt not out 42 and captain Nathan McSweeney on 33.In WA’s innings, Jayden Goodwin top-scored with a fighting 53 from 106 balls and Cooper Connolly (33) and Aaron Hardie (31) chipped in.But the trio were the only three batters to pass 17 amid a miserly display from SA quick Thornton, who returned superb figures of 3 for 25 from 14 overs.Thornton took the initial two wickets, removing Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft. And when Jordan Buckingham dismissed Hilton Cartwright for 5 which a terrific delivery which took off stump, the visitors were wobbling at 51 for 3 in the 25th over.Spinner Manenti captured three of the next four wickets, including ending an innings-high 68-run partnership between Goodwin and Connolly. The WA duo fell within a three-over span and the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 69 runs.SA openers Hunt and Connor McInerney navigated a dozen overs before WA quick Liam Haskett broke their stand when McInerney edged an outswinger.Skipper McSweeney immediately showed intent by hitting a four from his first ball and was in fine touch, striking three more boundaries in his 56-ball knock and combining with Hunt for an unbroken 67-run partnership.

Nat Sciver-Brunt scores her first England century since becoming a mother and celebrates it, with partner Katherine and son Theo in the stands, with a baby-rocking gesture

Valkerie Baynes12-Oct-2025″For Theo”. As Nat Sciver-Brunt celebrated her match-winning, tenth ODI century – and first as a mother – by rocking her bat like a baby, there was no doubt about the dedication.A run-a-ball 117, also her first international century as England captain, allowed Sciver-Brunt to set up a thumping 89-run win against Sri Lanka and keep her side unbeaten from three games at the World Cup.Somewhat unexpectedly, her wife, the former England seamer Katherine, and their six-month-old son Theo, were in the stands to see it all after the family were reunited in Colombo.Related

The revving, fizzing, whirring excellence of Ecclestone

Sciver-Brunt and Ecclestone help England brush aside Sri Lanka

“For Theo, that one,” Sciver-Brunt said of her century celebration. “I had sort of spoken about it a little bit with Katherine, but you never know if you’re going to get another hundred, I suppose. It was in the back of my mind a little bit. They’ve come out to Sri Lanka to watch me, so I thought I’d give back to them for supporting me.”Sciver-Brunt thought she would be saying goodbye to her family for the duration of the tournament and she spoke to ESPNcricinfo about her trepidation over being apart for so long. But, given the logistics of flying from Guwahati to Colombo to Indore to Visakhapatnam through the group stage with a baby, it made sense.They managed to spend England’s pre-tournament training camp in Abu Dhabi together before Katherine and Theo returned to England, but then a previously unplanned trip to Sri Lanka meant they were all in the right place at the right time on Saturday.”It was a really nice bonus for her to be able to come out here,” Sciver-Brunt said. “She had to take on the flight alone with Theo. It was a lot for her to commit to. I’m glad I made it worth their while.

“In terms of leading the team, I probably don’t think about that so much when I’m batting. I may pick up things here and there about the wicket and what would be best for our bowlers and thinking in that way but when I’m a batter I’m a batter and I really have worked on trying to focus on that, on one thing at a time”Nat Sciver-Brunt

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster in terms of missing them. I obviously got a bit more sleep when they were at home but it’s really nice to have them here and to tour the world with your family, it’s really, really special.”Sciver-Brunt was the difference that allowed England to post a respectable total of 253 for 9 after the top three of Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight failed to convert starts and no one else reached 20.Dropped on 3, Sciver-Brunt made Sri Lanka pay, striking nine fours and two sixes in the face of a threatening home spin attack led by left-armer Inoka Ranaweera’s 3 for 33.Another left-arm spinner, Sophie Ecclestone, sealed the result for England with brilliant 4 for 17 from her ten overs, accounting for four of Sri Lanka’s top five – including Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama, who shared a spirited 58-run partnership while Chamari Athapaththu was off the field battling cramp – and Athapaththu herself with a gem that enticed the drive and slid between bat and pad to rattle the stumps.3:19

Sri Lanka undone by Sciver-Brunt’s masterclass

The victory sent England to the top of the table on the eve of Sunday’s heavyweight clash between India and Australia, while Ecclestone’s performance placed her on top of the wicket-takers’ chart with nine at an average of 6.66.Sciver-Brunt is the second-highest run-scorer so far with 149, between New Zealanders Sophie Devine with 260 and Brooke Halliday’s 142. She also collected 2 for 25 from five overs against Sri Lanka as she continued her comeback after a six-month layoff from bowling because of an Achilles tendon injury. Offspinner Charlie Dean, Sciver-Brunt’s newly appointed vice-captain, also picked up two wickets.”In terms of leading the team, I probably don’t think about that so much when I’m batting,” Sciver-Brunt said of her developing ability to compartmentalise her roles as captain and allrounder. “I may pick up things here and there about the wicket and what would be best for our bowlers and thinking in that way but when I’m a batter I’m a batter and I really have worked on trying to focus on that, on one thing at a time.”With the bowling, that’s a little bit different and that’s where I can lean on Charlie a little bit more as vice-captain when I’m bowling to make sure I am clear. There is a lot to think about with captaincy but it’s something I’m enjoying so far.”

Barcelona were comprehensively beaten at Stamford Bridge as the Blaugrana hardly put up a fight on the way to a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League. Hansi Flick's side went down to 10 men in the first half after Ronald Araujo was dismissed after picking up two bookings, and had the ball in their net six times as Chelsea attacked against their infamous high line at will.

A shocking own goal by Jules Kounde opened the scoring for Chelsea with 27 minutes on the clock, after the home side had already seen two goals disallowed prior. Following a Marc Cucurella cross and Pedro Neto back-heel, Kounde and Ferran Torres got themselves in an almighty mess on the goal line and the ball bounced in off the Frenchman.

Ferran was involved in shocking moments at both ends, inexplicably sliding the ball wide when clean through with the game goalless. Lamine Yamal's through-ball to the Spaniard would be the 18-year-old's only memorable contribution of the night, as Estevao scored a stunning goal at the other end to confirm himself as the clear victor in the battle of the teenage wonderkids.

Chelsea substitute Liam Delap scored a third after another ridiculous offside trap played by the visitors, and the introduction of Marcus Rashford and Raphinha by Flick was to no avail as Barca rarely laid a glove on their buoyant hosts following Araújo's 44th-minute dismissal.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Stamford Bridge…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Joan Garcia (4/10):

  Had the ball in his net six times and had the offside flag to thank for one disallowed goal in particular, where Santos' strike slipped through his grasp far too easily and into the net. Would have gone down as a goalkeeping howler if it stood.

  Jules Kounde (3/10):

  Got his feet in an almighty mess to score a highly-avoidable own goal. His lack of awareness in the six-yard box was astounding as he somehow managed to almost tackle the ball off Ferran and into the net. Sent flying by Garnacho just after half-time as the Argentine set up one of Chelsea's disallowed goals.

  Ronald Araujo (2/10):

  Summed up Barca's first-half display with a mindless challenge on Cucurella to earn himself a second yellow card. The fact that his first was earnt for dissent makes things even worse. Wearing the captain's armband for such a club, better discipline must be demanded.

  Pau Cubarsi (5/10):

  Did the best he could to prevent the scoreline being any bigger, but the young defender was beaten far too easily by Estevao as he skipped inside to score.

  Alejandro Balde (5/10):

  Played Fernandez onside for Chelsea's final goal as Barca's high line came unstuck once again. The full-back had no answers for the dangerous Estevao as the Brazilian shone.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Eric Garcia (5/10):

  Shifted back into centre-back after the red card, and put in a shift despite the poor performance from his side overall.

  Frenkie de Jong (4/10):

  Gave the ball away poorly in the build-up to the second goal and was never able to take control of the midfield, as Chelsea dominated throughout.

  Fermín Lopez (5/10):

  Largely non-existent as Caicedo prevented him having any say on proceedings. The 22-year-old's most memorable contribution was a weak claim for a first-half penalty from a Chalobah challenge. Taken off after an hour by Flick.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (5/10):

  Arguably lost out in two battles in one night – Cucurella got the better of him, and so did Estevao as the two 18-year-olds competed for the spotlight. Other than an early through-ball to Ferran and a scuffed shot easily saved, Yamal impacted the game little and was substituted with 10 minutes to play to jeers from the home crowd.

  Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

  Similarly to Fermin, the veteran Pole hardly had a touch of the ball and much less an opportunity on goal. Was given very little service in his hour on the pitch, in fairness.

  Ferran Torres (3/10):

  Far from his finest day at the office. Missed a huge opportunity at 0-0, clean through with the goal gaping. Torres then played his role in failing to clear Kounde's scrappy own goal, and was hooked at half-time by Flick to be replaced by Rashford.

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  Subs & Manager

  Marcus Rashford (5/10):

  Replaced Ferran at half-time and made no more of an impact, as Barca's threat became even less in the second period.

  Raphinha (5/10):

  Had a weak shot on target saved by Sanchez, but in half an hour on the pitch also offered very little.

  Andreas Christensen (5/10):

  Brought on to shore up the midfield and struggled to do that, seeing an ambitious strike fly wide in stoppage time as he hoped to impact proceedings against his former club.

  Dani Olmo (N/A):

  Replaced Yamal late on and barely had a touch of the ball.

  Gerard Martín (N/A):

  Came on for Balde in the final 10 minutes.

  Hansi Flick (4/10):

  The high line did not work, and Barcelona were second-best long before the sending-off. Flick's substitutions did not help, either, and he can have no complaints about the deserved result.

Jude Bellingham's generosity has shone through with the Real Madrid star prepared to give a youth player 'his armour' following a cruel injury blow. Bruno Iglesias recently suffered a serious shoulder injury for the second time in his young career. The 22-year-old slipped and fell awkwardly in training as the Castilla star was preparing for an emotional return to Salamanca.

Getty Images SportBellingham prepared to help Iglesias

Iglesias had been set for a start under manager Alvaro Arbeloa but injury struck again in front of family and friends. It's the second time the youngster has endured a shoulder injury leaving the Castilla player with a decision to make.

Iglesias must now decide whether to play with a shoulder brace and endure the pain or undergo surgery that would rule him out until March. However, with less than a year left on his current deal, and the option to extend tied to first-team promotion, the Spaniard is eager to keep playing.

And in a huge show of generosity, Bellingham has offered to lend Iglesias the same shoulder brace he used in order to manage his own shoulder injury. The England international played in excess of 100 games with the brace itself before opting for surgery following the Club World Cup.

The 22-year-old played all six Real Madrid matches at the summer competition in the US before their resounding semi-final exit at the hands of Champions League winners PSG, after which he made the decision to go under the knife. Bellingham missed the opening few weeks of the season but has since slotted back into the Real Madrid starting seamlessly.

"I've been waiting for a while and my patience is running out. I want to feel free now; it's exhausting playing with the sling," Bellingham said about playing in the shoulder brace.

Advertisement'There were a lot of days alone' in Bellingham's recovery

Earlier this month, Bellingham opened up on his shoulder surgery and has confirmed he is now back to full fitness, stating: "It felt quick, but there were a lot of days alone, working hard, and honestly, pretty boring. I'm back earlier than people expected it was never going to be three or four months, I was always confident I’d return sooner.

"Once I was back with the team and doing contact, I flew through the last few weeks. On the pitch, I feel confident. I had to do gym sessions on a mat, learning how to fall and roll again, making sure I wasn’t putting my shoulder in positions where it might pop out.

"The chances are less than 1%, but it was about feeling no pain. It’s boring stuff you’re basically learning to fall again like a kid. It means a lot to hear people say they miss watching you, teammates miss playing with you, staff miss coaching you even the fans being up in the stand, seeing yourself on the big screen, hearing the claps it’s humbling to know so many people are supporting you.

"It’s easy to get dragged into negativity when you’re injured, especially when you can’t remind people what you do. That support was exactly the reminder I needed of how loved I am in Madrid, which is all that really matters."

Getty Images SportReal Madrid seek to return to winning ways at Elche

Bellingham will now hope to help Real Madrid return to winning ways having failed to win their last two competitive games. Xabi Alonso could only watch on as his Real Madrid side fell to a 1-0 loss at Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this month.

Los Blancos then followed up that defeat with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano and they'll hope to reclaim top spot in La Liga when they take on Elche on Sunday. Real Madrid dropped to second in the table as rivals and defending champions Barcelona secured a 4-0 win over Athletic Club in their first game at Spotify Camp Nou in over 900 days on Saturday afternoon.

Elche are unbeaten at home in La Liga this season, winning three and drawing three of their opening six games in front of their fans as Real Madrid seek to get their season back on track ahead of their Champions League game against Olympiacos next week.

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Real Madrid's no.5 looking to rediscover debut season form

Bellingham, meanwhile, made an impressive return to first team action following his full recovery from surgery, coming in clutch in narrow wins over Juventus and Barcelona in the Champions League and La Liga, respectively.

The Real Madrid no.5 will now hope to put in performances similar to his debut season in Spain, where he inspired the Spanish giants to the league and Champions League double. 

His match-winning 92 trumps centuries by James Bracey, Ben Charlesworth

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Aug-2025Hampshire 315 for 5 (Middleton 92, Gubbins 76, Orr 52, Albert 52) beat Gloucestershire 313 for 7 (Bracey 104, Charlesworth 104, Barker 3-52) by five wickets Fletcha Middleton scored a match-winning half-century as Hampshire beat Gloucestershire by five wickets at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium to secure a quarter-final berth in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.The Winchester-born batter top-scored with 92 from 95 balls, struck six fours and two sixes and staged a crucial third-wicket partnership of 115 with Toby Albert, who made 52, as the visitors reached a victory target of 314 with eight balls to spare.The country’s leading scorer in the 50-over competition this season with 658 at an average of 131.6, captain Nick Gubbins made 76 from 60 deliveries, accrued 12 fours and staged a superb opening stand of 112 in 11.2 overs with Ali Orr, who contributed a quickfire 52 from 35 balls to set up Hampshire’s successful run chase.Put in to bat on a flat track, Gloucestershire posted 313 for 7 in a match reduced by rain to 49 overs a side, James Bracey and Ben Charlesworth both scoring 104. Bracey’s innings spanned 85 balls, included 12 fours and three sixes and took his tally for the campaign to 572 at an average of 71.5.He dominated stands of 81 and 118 with Ollie Price and Charlesworth for the second and third wickets respectively. Charlesworth proved equally destructive, facing 83 deliveries, with eight fours and four sixes and staging an alliance of 90 for the fourth wicket with Jack Taylor.But Hampshire withstood the pressure and Keith Barker, making his first appearance since completing a 12-month ban for a drug offence, returned figures of 3 for 52 from 10 overs to prevent Gloucestershire from posting a really big total.Victory secured Hampshire a second-place finish behind Worcestershire in Group A and a home quarter-final tie against Warwickshire on Thursday, while Gloucestershire will face a West Country showdown against Somerset at Taunton on the same day.Hampshire won the toss, elected to bowl and put Gloucestershire under pressure with the new ball, Eddie Jack producing a brilliant delivery to bowl Cameron Bancroft in the first over. Price was then fortunate to survive on nought, slicing Barker to point where Middleton spilled a straightforward chance.Bracey and Price overcame a testing examination and a short break for rain to post a 50 partnership from 58 balls. Acceleration followed when Bracey twice cut Jack for four and then pulled him for six as Gloucestershire posted 52 for 1 in the powerplay.Price succumbed to an ugly dismissal, bowled by a high full toss from slow left armer Andrew Neal, initially standing his ground in the expectation of no-ball being called before departing for a 31-ball 36.But there was no stopping the indomitable Bracey, who went to his fourth 50 in eight innings from 47 balls. He found an able ally in Charlesworth and these two put Hampshire spinners Felix Organ and Neal under sustained pressure during the middle overs, raising 50 from 41 balls in just 21 minutes as Gloucestershire advanced to 141 for 2 after 25 overs.Bracey’s second 50 occupied just 35 balls, the 28-year-old going to his fifth List-A hundred from 82 deliveries. Warming to his task, Charlesworth plundered 18 off an over from teenager Manny Lumsden to push the rate above six an over for the first time and the 100 partnership arrived via 86 balls as the third wicket pair put the visitors under the pump.Hampshire desperately needed a breakthrough and the returning Barker obliged, persuading Bracey to hit to Ben Mayes at deep mid-wicket in the 33rd over.Charlesworth picked up the pace thereafter, scoring a run-a-ball half century. In dominant form, the left hander went to his first List-A hundred in fine style, hoisting Barker high over midwicket for six to eclipse his previous highest score of 99 not out, made against Hampshire at Bristol in 2021.Having dominated an aggressive stand of 90 for the fourth wicket with Jack Taylor, Charlesworth hit Barker to long-off with the score 290 for 4 in the 45th.Despite not being at his fluent best, Taylor raised 38 from 42 balls. But he was bowled by Neal, after which the home side managed a mearge 17 runs off the last 20 deliveries as Hampshire seamers Jack and Lumsden kept things tight at the death.A lingering impression that Gloucestershire might have fallen short began to take hold when Hampshire openers Gubbins and Orr staged a chanceless 50 partnership in just 5.2 overs, new ball spearhead Josh Shaw going for 39 in three overs as the visitors seized the initiative. The pair raised 97 from the powerplay, registering 13 fours and two sixes between them and forcing the home side to resort to spin after only seven overs.Gubbins and Orr both went to 50 from 31 balls as Gloucestershire’s bowlers continued to allow them to cut and pull with impunity. Progress was smooth until Orr, attempting to sweep Price, top-edged to Shaw at short third and departing for 52. Middleton arrived at the crease with a further 202 required at 5.4 an over.Gloucestershire hardly helped their cause by missing an opportunity to dismiss Gubbins on 59, Graeme van Buuren putting down a sharp chance off his own bowling to allow the competition’s top scorer a life. The home side’s disappointment was compounded when Middleton hit the ground running, scoring at a run a ball and lifting Price effortlessly over long-on for six as the second-wicket partnership realised 48 in quick time.When Gubbins attempted to reverse sweep van Buuren, offered a catch behind and departed for 76 with the score 160 for 2 in the 21st, Hampshire still needed 154 to win and Gloucestershire supporters were afforded a glimmer of hope. But Middleton helped settle any nerves, posting a chanceless half-century from 54 balls as Hampshire advanced to 183 for 2 at halfway.Gloucestershire lacked a cutting edge with the ball and Middleton and Albert were able to move comfortably through the gears in a partnership which served to ease Hampshire’s path. With victory within sight, Albert opened his shoulders, pulling Jack Taylor for six to bring up an assured 50. He was dismissed lbw by Matt Taylor soon afterwards, while Middleton was brilliantly caught by Tommy Boorman on the deep backward point boundary off the bowling of Shaw as Gloucestershire refused to lie down.Ben Brown was then bowled by Matt Taylor with 23 still needed from 24 balls, but Mayes and Organ remained calm under pressure to see the job through.

Manchester United are now seriously plotting a January move for an “incredible” star, who Ruben Amorim may play in a new position.

Man Utd eyeing players to fit Amorim's system

Amorim has come under heavy scrutiny for being unwilling to compromise on his three-at-the-back system, with Jamie Carragher calling the manager into question after the 1-0 defeat at home against Everton last month.

Carragher makes it clear he doesn’t understand how the 40-year-old can stick to the formation so “steadfastly”, but in fairness Man United do seem to have turned a corner, having lost just one of their last seven Premier League games.

There is still plenty of room for improvement, but the manager seems to have bought himself some time, which means INEOS will be tasked with bringing in players suited to playing his system this winter, should they decide to enter the market for new additions.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United are now seriously plotting a move for AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, whose £65m release clause becomes active in the early stages of the January transfer window.

The release clause drops as low as £50m in the summer, which is good news for the long list of potential suitors, with Liverpool and Manchester City also being named as potential suitors, and Pep Guardiola’s side are leading the race for his signature.

The 25-year-old has caught the eye from an attacking point of view this season, having featured on both wings for AFC Bournemouth, but there is a feeling he could be used as a right-wing back in Amorim’s system.

"Incredible" Semenyo may be wasted at right-wing back

It would be a real statement if Man United were able to sign the Ghanaian, amid major interest from some top clubs, as he has emerged as one of the Premier League’s star players this season, chipping in with six goals and three assists in 13 outings.

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, the Bournemouth star is also a well-rounded player, who could do a job at right-wing back, as showcased by the fact he ranks in the 80th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, having averaged 1.60.

Man Utd submit £26m offer for former Premier League striker

United have tabled a bid for a new centre-forward, who has been in impressive form this season.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 3, 2025

That said, given Semenyo’s ability on the front foot, he would perhaps be wasted in a deeper position, and Amorim should play him in a more advanced role, should the Red Devils win the race for his signature.

With Mason Mount getting the nod in the left-sided attacking midfield role against Crystal Palace, given Matheus Cunha’s injury, United could clearly do with greater depth in that area of the pitch, and the 32-time Ghana international has proven himself as a top Premier League forward.